Pneumonia is an acute infectious inflammation that occurs in the lung tissue. Pathology is a dangerous disease in young children and adolescents. Babies under 1 year old are difficult to tolerate the disease. Complications of pneumonia in children are not uncommon. The article presents the common consequences of this disease.
Complications in general
According to WHO, every year about 15% of detected cases of the disease lead to death. An increased mortality rate is associated with negative factors: it can be either a lack of timely treatment or improperly selected therapy. The causes of complications of pneumonia in children also include a poorly treated disease, as well as self-treatment at home.
Among the likely consequences, specialists distinguish immediate and delayed signs. The first group includes the development of purulent complications in the pulmonary system and bronchi, neurotoxicosis ormalignant intoxication of the body. These consequences develop in the lungs of children on the 2nd-3rd day of the onset of an acute illness. All possible complications of pneumonia in children are described below.
Types of consequences
The appearance of severe complications of pneumonia in children occurs after the completion of the acute stage of the disease. They lead to a deterioration in the condition of the child. Consequences are divided into 2 types:
- Pulmonary complications of pneumonia in children that cannot be transmitted to other organs. This group includes pleural empyema or exudative pleurisy.
- Extrapulmonary complications of pneumonia in children that spread to other organs. These include heart failure, breathing difficulties, sepsis, abscess.
Exactly the same (pulmonary, extrapulmonary) complications occur with croupous pneumonia in children.
In the body of children, a lesion of the left side of the lung usually appears. A child is diagnosed with left-sided pneumonia, and in an adult - a lesion of the right side of the lung. Pneumonia is especially dangerous in newborns. Usually, infection occurs during childbirth or in the first days of life.
Immediate complications
The main cause of such complications of pneumonia in children is incorrectly chosen or incomplete treatment. Immediate pathologies include:
- Intoxication or Waterhouse-Friderichsen syndrome. It develops when endotoxins enter the bloodstream. Such toxic microorganisms lead to severe poisoning. The child is observedan increase in temperature to 39 degrees, it is difficult to bring it down. Other signs include lethargy, refusal to eat, exhaustion, febrile fever. These signs can affect breathing, leading to complications. The dangerous consequences of this condition include death.
- Neurotoxicosis. The features include the hyperactivity of the child, which is replaced by a sharp apathy. There may be depression and lethargy. After a breakdown, the temperature rises to 40 degrees. Then the appearance of convulsions is likely, there may be a short-term cessation of breathing.
Delayed deterioration
These are complications of acute pneumonia in children. In the lung tissues there is inflammation caused by pathogenic microflora. Small children have a hard time with this condition. There is a risk of many severe consequences.
Late complications of acute pneumonia in children include:
- Exudative pleurisy or accumulation of fluid in the pleura. If left untreated, a condition of "chest dropsy" appears. Symptoms of complications after pneumonia in children include severe pain in the chest area. It will be possible to fix the problem with a puncture or operation.
- Purulent pleurisy. Appears after layering on the organ of infection of a secondary nature. There is a penetration of pathogenic organisms into the respiratory organs and purulent inflammation appears. Symptoms include low body temperature, vomiting, expectorant cough with pus.
- Gangrene. Leads to decay and decaylung. The complication appears when the form is running. In the lung, a focus filled with pus forms, tissue melting is observed. This consequence manifests itself in the form of gray-green sputum, an unpleasant odor, swelling of the fingers and toes.
- Abscess of the lung. 1 focus of inflammation appears in the organ. At stage 1, symptoms of intoxication, rapid pulse, shortness of breath are distinguished. It is rarely seen in children. Often occurs in adults who abuse alcohol.
- Multiple destruction. In this purulent-inflammatory process, cavities appear in the lung tissue. Compared to an abscess, there are several foci and a strong sputum production (up to 1 liter per day). The latter stands out "with a mouthful".
- Pulmonary edema. The reason is the accumulation of fluid in the lung tissues. With this complication, oxygen decreases and carbon dioxide accumulates in the blood, shortness of breath and cyanosis appear. The rales are of a moist nature, they are noticeable even at a distance. When coughing, pink foam comes out of the mouth - this shade is associated with the penetration of red blood cells from the blood into the alveoli.
Respiratory failure
This is a complication of pneumonia in young children, often seen in preschoolers. It manifests itself in the form of shortness of breath, shallow breathing, or a frequent number of breaths / exhalations. In children, there is a change in the shade of the lips, cyanosis occurs. Pathology can proceed in 3 stages. On the first one, shortness of breath occurs after light physical exertion, on the second - after a little more, on the third, shortness of breath and vomiting appear in a calm state.
Disorders of the heart
After acute pneumonia in children - the most common complication. Failures in the functioning of the cardiovascular system appear with various forms of the disease. If left untreated, these disorders lead to chronic blood flow failure or endocarditis.
The degree of intoxication and dehydration of the body affects the occurrence of symptoms. With violations of the heart, the appearance is likely:
- high blood pressure;
- poor circulation;
- permeability of capillary walls and membranes;
- swelling and shortness of breath.
Other consequences
The dangerous consequence is sepsis or blood poisoning. The child develops bacteremia - the entry of microbes into the bloodstream. The causative agent of the disease causes the release of cytkins by the cells of the immune system. The characteristic symptoms of sepsis include fever, low blood pressure, disorientation of the child, impaired pulse and breathing, and a brief loss of consciousness. Blood poisoning develops peritonitis, septic arthritis, meningitis.
Another complication is pyopneumothorax. Appears after the breakthrough of the abscess into the pleura. In the cavity there is an increase in the amount of air, there is a shift in the anatomical space of the sternum. Symptoms appear abruptly: pain, respiratory failure, respiratory failure. During treatment, urgent decompression is required (lowering the levelliquid).
Cough and fever after illness
Cough after illness caused by objective reasons. After treatment of inflammation in the lungs, small foci remain that are not visible on x-rays after treatment. These parts can lead to coughing within a few weeks. The cough comes on paroxysmal and is usually seen in the morning.
When the cough is persistent and severe, you need to see a doctor for treatment:
- medication;
- doing breathing exercises;
- inhalation;
- chest massage;
- physiotherapy and warming up.
When the cough lasts more than 2 weeks, the child is prescribed expectorants and bronchodilators, mucolytics. These include "ACC", "Bronchoton". If a temperature remains after the disease, then this may be a symptom of inflammation that has not yet disappeared. With prolonged cough and fever, to eliminate the risk of negative consequences, an antibiogram is performed and a pulmonologist is consulted.
Disability due to pneumonia
Complications of pneumonia are the basis for disability registration. If the child has 2 and 3 degrees of respiratory failure, disability opens. Causes and conditions will be found out during the examination by an immunologist.
Disability is established with a pronounced violation of the immune status, which is manifested by frequent pneumonia, as well as due to congenital pathologies of the bronchopulmonarysystems. To formalize this status, an immunogram and original extracts for the year are transferred to the chairman of the medical commission. The decision is made at the medical and social examination.
Treatment
To exclude complications of pneumonia in children, clinical guidelines must be followed. But if they are already identified, then treatment is required. Therapy is aimed at restoring the body of children. It is required to completely eliminate the residual effects, the scars in the pleura should resolve and the immune tone should be optimized. Recovery is performed using the following activities:
- Resorbable type preparations and biological activators are used, which can also be used for children.
- Physiotherapy activities in progress.
- Decoctions and infusions of herbs are used, which have a restorative function. They can be used after consulting a doctor, especially with a protracted form.
- Intestinal flora needs to improve after a course of antibiotics.
- Vitamin therapy needed.
It is acceptable to use the method of aerotherapy, presented in the form of oxygen therapy through a nasal catheter. It is equipped in the lower nasal passage. In this case, the child will receive 25-35% of the desired ratio of oxygen masses. The component needs to be delivered without interruption for a long time. Usually 2-10 hours, it depends on the severity of the disease.
During treatment, it is required to restore the patency of the respiratory tract. For this, mucolytics are used (drugs that thin the mucous membranes).selection). To improve circulation of the intravascular type, 2.4% aminofillin is used, which is administered intravenously in an amount of 0.1 ml / kg to children under 1 year old. Then add 1 ml for each year of life. Helps "Xanthinol nicotinate" and inhalations of warm-moist type.
Vaccination and prevention
There are drugs to perform prevention or vaccines against infections that affect the likely consequences. If there is a risk of opportunistic infections, the vaccine will help with a weak immune background.
After suffering an illness, it is important to control that the child does not have an accumulation of sputum in the lungs. Sufficient humidity must be maintained in the room, and the room must be regularly ventilated. Intense drinking leads to liquefaction of mucus. After pneumonia, physiotherapy and treatment in sanatoriums are effective.
If there was pneumonia, you need to be under the supervision of a pediatrician for 1 year. During recovery, you need to drink vitamins, be more in the fresh air. It is required to restore the intestinal microflora. For some period after the illness, it is necessary to prevent the child from having contact with a sick person with acute respiratory infections.
To prevent complications from pneumonia, you need to see a doctor if you have symptoms of a cold, SARS or a prolonged cough. Timely detected disease is easier to cure than neglected. Recovery requires a he althy lifestyle. We need sports, rest, a balanced diet. An excellent preventive measure is infectiouscontrol. All indicated methods will allow to eliminate complications in a short time.
Conclusion
Complications appear with incorrect or untimely treatment. If the first symptoms appear, do not delay the trip to the doctor. It is necessary to follow the recommendations of a specialist, and also not to self-medicate. Only with a responsible attitude to he alth will it be possible to avoid dangerous consequences.
